Page 21 of Saving Tracey (Finding Hope #1)

Chapter Eleven

F orcing myself past the panic gripping my muscles, I slammed my elbow into his ribs. He grunted, releasing me for a moment.

I had to get out of there.

I scrambled for the door as fast as my legs would carry me, but I was too slow. His grimy hands latched onto my ankles, making me slam into the floor. My chin bounced off of the ground, and I harshly bit onto the inside of my mouth and my lip. Blood immediately trickled down my chin.

"Let me go!" I kicked desperately to get him off of me, not even giving a shit about the pain currently flaring through my jaw.

Panic was clawing at my chest. Tears swarmed my vision, and I rapidly blinked them away.

"You're such a stupid girl! You knew never to open your mouth!" He straddled my waist, sending a crushing blow against my ribs.

I cried out in pain, pushing against his chest. I wanted him off of me. He was so heavy. It didn't help that he was extremely overweight either.

I was being crushed.

"Get off of me!"

I heard someone banging on the bathroom door, and Olivia began shouting my name.

My dad’s best friend’s hands wrapped around my throat before I could call out for help.

I choked, clawing at his hands. "They want you to pay.

" His spit landed on my face, making me cringe as I tugged at his wrists, even though my efforts were futile.

"He wants you to suffer for putting him in that fucking prison. "

I could barely focus on what he was saying to me. My vision began to get slightly hazy. I desperately tried bucking under him. I wanted him off.

I couldn't fucking breathe.

I dug my nails into his wrists, drawing blood.

He cursed at the pain and finally released me.

I sucked in a huge breath of air and pounded my fists against his chest. He caught my wrists and slammed them against the floor above my head.

I whimpered in pain, knowing his grip would leave bruises.

No matter how big he was, he was extremely strong.

He smirked. "I'm going to make you hurt, baby doll. I'll make you regret ever telling what happened. You deserve to be hurt."

His free hand reached down to unzip my jeans. I screamed. "No! No, no, no! Please no!" Tears leaked down the side of my face.

He moved off of me to pull my jeans down, and I used that opportunity to kick him in the face. He roared in pain, releasing my wrists. I jumped up and ran for the door for all that I was worth just as it flew open, crashing against the wall beside it with the force it had been pushed.

I had never been happier to see Trevor in my life.

He pushed past me, going to the greasy slime ball that was slowly getting to his feet, holding his bleeding face. Hands gripped my shoulders, and I screamed in fear, shoving myself against the wall. Olivia shushed me as she gripped my upper arms gently. "It's okay, Tracey. We're here. You're safe."

I launched myself into her arms with a loud sob. She immediately wrapped her arms around me tightly. I winced when I heard the sickening sound of someone's nose breaking. "You sick bastard. You had better be glad you're going to fucking jail!”

I didn't hear the police come in, but I heard the click of the metal cuffs. "I've got her," Trevor murmured from behind me.

Suddenly, I was lifted bridal style into strong, familiar arms. My arms instantly wrapped around Trevor's neck tightly. "You're safe. I swear, I won't let anything else happen to you."

I shoved my face into his shoulder, sobbing.

I swayed gently in his arms as he began walking, and eventually, he sat down, and I heard a car door shut right after.

I reached down and zipped and buttoned my jeans back up.

Trevor sucked in a sharp breath of air when he saw what I was doing. "He didn't, did he?"

I hiccuped and dug my face into the crook of his neck. "He t-tried.”

Trevor's arms tightened around me. Eventually, we were pulling out of the mall parking lot, and everyone on the car ride was silent, including Lacie.

The only thing you could hear was my sniffles and hiccups as I cried.

Trevor's heart was pounding against my ear, and his hand shook as he ran his fingers through my hair.

Suddenly, Kaleb's phone went off, breaking the silence, and he answered it. "Hey, Mom."

"I hope you are on your way home with Tracey, right now!" I flinched. "The police department just called me asking if I could bring her in sometime today for questioning. What in the hell happened?!"

I pulled my hands up to my ears, not wanting to hear what Kaleb was going to tell his mom. If I was going to have to talk to the cops and give my statement, I wanted to relive it as little as possible. I didn't want to hear Kaleb recount to his mom what happened.

When we got home, I went straight upstairs to my bathroom to clean the blood off of my face as Trevor got stopped to talk to Miss Brinson.

I stared at myself in the mirror, taking in the blood dried on my face and my neck to where it disappeared against my hoodie.

Thankfully, my hoodie was black, so the blood didn't stain my hoodie.

I yanked it off and moved my hair to look at the bruises that were already darkening to a black-purple color on my neck.

"Christ, what the fuck did he do to you?" Trevor muttered, coming into my bathroom and standing behind me.

Not bothering to answer him, I lifted my shirt to inspect my rib cage and winced at the fist-shaped bruise already forming on my side. I gently ran my fingers over it and winced. "Ouch,” I hissed.

Trevor grabbed my arms and brought my wrists up. I watched him clench his jaw in the mirror. "I have half a mind to go to the fucking police department and fuck him up. No one puts their fucking hands on you."

He dropped my arms and wrapped his own arms around my waist, dropping his forehead onto my shoulder. I sighed softly, reaching up with my hands to rub his forearms gently. "I have to go to the police department and give my statement. I need to get a hoodie so I can go."

Trevor kissed my temple and reluctantly released me.

I stepped out of the bathroom and went to my closet, grabbing a random grey sweatshirt.

I pulled it on, and Trevor grabbed my hand in his, his larger one easily enveloping my smaller one, offering me that security that only he was capable of giving me.

"I'm coming with you.” We walked toward the stairs. “I'm not risking the chance that you go off on your own again and get hurt."

I didn't even bother saying I would be okay. I needed him with me. I felt like complete shit right now and having him with me would make me feel at least a little bit better, especially if I was going to have to recount what happened God only knew how many times.

Kaleb's mom rushed over to me when she noticed me and Trevor coming down the stairs.

I immediately cowered away from her, stepping back into Trevor's chest. He wrapped his arms around me instantly, his arms flexing around me, reminding me that he was there to protect me.

She stopped immediately when she saw my fear.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Tracey." Her tone was gentle, and I knew she wouldn’t. But I wasn’t sure if someone touching me—besides Trevor—would send me spiraling.

"I just want to look over your injuries.

I need to make sure you don't need to go to a hospital first."

My hands fluttered up to my neck, and I rubbed it gently.

I felt Trevor's arms tighten around me. I looked up at him to see him looking at me grimly, his eyes running over the dark-colored bruises on my neck.

I immediately dropped my hands. "I think I'm okay.

It's just a few bruises—nothing serious. "

"Nothing serious, my ass. He could have fucking strangled you to death. You're not fucking okay."

I cringed away from his harsh tone. He sighed, breathing in through his nose and slowly letting it out through his mouth. His cigarette and minty breath brushed past my nostrils. He kissed my temple, and I closed my eyes, taking in the moment.

"We need to get going. Krista is going to cook dinner, and it should be ready by the time we get back."

"Speaking of dinner," Kaleb jogged up to us as we walked toward the door, my hand secure in Trevor’s, "can Lacie stay for dinner?"

"Kaleb, Tracey just went through a very traumatic experience.” Exasperation filtered into her tone. “Don't you think she should just be around her family?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Trevor over my shoulder. "Trevor gets to stay, so why can't Lacie?”

What the hell was wrong with him?

She sighed and turned to look at me. "I'm sorry, Tracey, but it's not fair if I let Trevor stay, but not Lacie."

I stiffened. I wasn't ready to be away from Trevor so soon. Not after what just had happened to me. I needed him here with me.

Trevor stepped in front of me and grabbed my face in his hands. He leaned down and kissed me gently. "You'll be fine.” He ran his thumbs over my cheeks. “Stay with Angelina, and call me if you need someone to talk to, okay? I will pick up my phone, no matter what time of day or night. I promise."

I nodded. He placed another light kiss on my lips and walked out of the door, pulling his bike keys out of his pocket. Lacie walked into the room, shooting me a glare when Miss Brinson wasn’t looking, and Kaleb kissed her. "I'll see you later, okay? I love you."

She pouted her lips. "Okay. I love you, too."

She walked out and I looked around, realizing how quiet it was. "Where are Paul and Olivia?"

"I already sent them home. I think we just need some time as a family right now, and while I know that Trevor and you are attached at the hip lately and he helps you, I can’t be unfair to Kaleb.”

Family .

I didn't know how I felt about her considering me as her family. My meaning of family wasn't exactly what most people were used to.

My family broke me.